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    Abolishing Section 21!

    ABOLISHING SECTION 21!

    The Government’s levelling up Rental Reform white paper bill has included this in detail.

    Section 21, often referred to as the ‘No Fault Eviction’, has been a security blanket for landlords. If you as a landlord wanted your property back, then a Section 21 will guarantee you your property back.

    By abolishing the Section 21, this will no longer be the case. The tenant will be able to give 2 months’ notice at any time and the landlord must give a reason as to why they want the property back and that reason must be one of the grounds of a new updated Section 8 notice.

    If I look at the occasions we have issued a section 21 over the last 30 odd years (and there really has not been that many), 95% of the time, it was because the tenants were in rent arrears, the landlord wanted to sell his property or the landlord wanted to move back in. The new Section 8 notice will have additional grounds to cover these reasons.

    There are additional caveats to these. If you decide you want to sell the property and give the tenants notice, you must prove it was on a portal for sale and if your situation changes and you decide to put the property back up to rent, then there must be a gap of 3 months between the tenants.

    If you are seeking possession because the tenant is in the minimum 2 months of arrears and they decide to pay a nominal amount that takes them under the 2-month threshold the day before court, then you will not regain the property (as it is now), however, if the tenant does this 3 times in 3 years, the court will give the property back.

    Feeling deflated? Exhausted with all the changes? Then let us take care of your property needs. We promise to hold your hands throughout this process, giving you less stress and more free!

    If yancy an informal chat any time, then email me sharon@moveon.biz with your phone number.

    Sharon

    Blog Articles

    Rents Have Risen!

     

    The past 18-24 months have seen a massive increase in rental prices throughout the Poole and Bournemouth area.

    We are valuing rental stock, new and existing, with huge increases and properties are being successfully let at the new prices.

    Prior to the last couple of years, rents had remained static, but when Covid came and we saw an increase of out-of-towners looking for properties with gardens, this caused a huge demand and saw the rental prices going up.

    We are also seeing a lack of stock coming to the market, which again is increasing the rental prices.

    As a tenant, this is not good news, as we now have an increase in energy prices, fuel prices and cost of living being added on.

    Contrary to popular belief, many landlords are not making vast amounts of money on their rental properties and expect their investment to help them in their retirement years. Those landlords who are already retired, will also be impacted on the cost of living going up.

    It is always a hard decision for landlords to increase rentals when they have had long-standing tenants, this is where Move On can help, by being the negotiator between all parties, in an amicable way.

    At Move On, we make sure all our landlords can sleep at night, because this is what we do every day. We make sure we are always up to date with latest legislations, and we are often ahead of the deadline.

    If you would like a free up to date rental appraisal or fresh eyes over your paperwork to ensure you are compliant, then please contact me 01202 711169 or email sharon@moveon.biz

     

    Sharon

    Information For Landlords

    Information for Landlords

    Information for Landlords

    As a landlord, you need to know that your rental property is being looked after, not just by your tenants, but by your agents as well.

    With over 15 years of experience in letting and managing rental properties across Poole, Bournemouth and beyond, you can be assured Move On bring the expertise and knowledge to ensure not only your property is looked after, but you are too.

    At Move On, we offer a range of different services for rental properties depending on your needs:

    Portfolio Management

    Have all your investments in one place and in good hands by leaving management of your properties to us. You'll be assigned a designated portfolio manager from our team and full management 24/7. We'll take care of everything from sourcing new tenants to mid-term inspections, compliance management and check outs, so you'll truly be able to relax knowing your portfolio is in good hands.

    Fully Managed Service

    Our fully managed service allows you to really put your feet up and let us take the stress of finding tenants and managing your rental property from your shoulders.  This includes collecting your rent, dealing with maintenance issues, making sure your property is compliant with all the latest legislations, and conducting property visits.

    Let Only and Rent Collection Service

    With our Let Only and Rent Collection Service, you still retain control over the maintenance of your property, but you don’t have to worry about collecting and managing rent, property visits, finding new tenants, and making sure you are covered with the latest legislations – you can leave that up to us!

    Let Only Service

    With Let Only, we’ll value and advertise your rental property on our website, social media and popular property portals like Rightmove and find your next tenant. We’ll take the stress out of the compliance side of finding and referencing new tenants too.

     

    What's Included?

    Fully Managed Service

    12% plus VAT (14.4% inc. VAT)

    Full rental valuation

    Advertising of property

    Tenant identity verification and Right to Rent Checks

    Full tenant referencing

    Preparation and distribution of tenancy documents

    Arrangement of compliance checks (Gas Safety, Electrical Certificates, etc.) (charges apply)

    Compliance advice

    Protection of deposit

    Collection of rent

    Arrangement of quotes, repairs, and maintenance

    Regular property checks

    Tenancy renewals

    Management of check outs and end-of-tenancy

    Let & Rent Collection

    8% plus VAT (9.6% inc. VAT)

    Full rental valuation

    Advertising of property

    Tenant identity verification and Right to Rent Checks

    Full tenant referencing

    Preparation and distribution of tenancy documents

    Arrangement of compliance checks (Gas Safety, Electrical Certificates, etc.) (charges apply)

    Compliance advice

    Protection of deposit

    Collection of rent

    Let Only Service

    £660.00 inclusive of VAT

    Full rental valuation

    Advertising of property

    Tenant identity verification and Right to Rent Checks

    Full tenant referencing

    Preparation and distribution of tenancy documents

    Arrangement of compliance checks (Gas Safety, Electrical Certificates, etc.) (charges apply)

    Compliance advice

    Protection of deposit

    HMO Management

    15% + VAT (18% including VAT)

    With our dedicated HMO manager and an established portfolio of more than 15 HMOs in Poole and Bournemouth, we're the best choice for taking over your HMO.

    What's included:

    • Dedicated HMO manager
    • Find and manage professional tenants for each room quickly and easily
    • Monthly inspections and reports
    • Compliance management
    • The chance to put your feet up, knowing your property is in good hands!

    If you’re thinking of renting out your Poole or Bournemouth rental property, or are looking for a new agent, give us a call on 01202 711169 or email sharon@moveon.biz to have a no-obligation chat and a FREE rental valuation.

    SCALE OF CHARGES FOR LANDLORDS 1) Our Let Only Service £550.00 plus VAT (£660.00 inc VAT ) or 5% of the first 12 months rent, whichever is the more. 2) Our Letting and Rent Collection Service 8% plus VAT (9.6% inc VAT) 3) Full Management Service 12% plus VAT (14.4% inc VAT) 4) Premier Fully Inclusive Package 15%+VAT (18% inc VAT) (includes rental warranty) The following fees under the above services are payable when any individual or organisation enters into an agreement to rent the Property as a result of our promotion, introduction, or viewing by the Agent. Additional Charges: Initial Arrangement Fee £440.00 (inclusive of VAT) and includes the following; Tenant referencing £0.00 (inclusive of VAT) Tenancy agreement Fee £0.00 (inclusive of VAT) Check in £0.00 (inclusive of VAT) NB: Please note the above arrangement fee is included in our Let Only service. Inventory service £145.00 (inclusive of VAT) Registration of Deposit £24.00 (inclusive of VAT) Check out £150.00 (inclusive of VAT) Void property inspections £0.00 (inclusive of VAT) Additional inspections £40.00 (inclusive of VAT) first 2 included in management fee per annum Tenancy renewal fee £144.00 (inclusive of VAT) Issuing of notices £120.00 (inclusive of VAT) Annual Statutory Periodic Fee £60.00 (inclusive of VAT) Rent Warranty £432.00 (inclusive of VAT) if required Deposit Disputes £180.00 (inclusive of VAT) If case referred to an adjudicator Professional hourly rate £60.00 (inclusive of VAT) Charged by the Agent when required to carry out any additional services ie Court attendance

    Blog Articles

    MINIMUM EPC RATING TO CHANGE IN 2025?

    The Government is in current consultation to bring forward the change in EPC ratings from E to min ‘C’ from 2028 to 2025.

    With climate change being a prominent factor in the news at the moment, the government is keen to do their bit.

    From 2025 all new builds will be banned from putting in gas boilers to drive us away from gas as a carbon-based fuel. They are looking to replace these boilers with a heat source air pump.

    The government introduced a ‘Green Homes Grant’ in September 2020, where they would pay two thirds of an invoice and the public paid one third with a cap of £5000. However, this was closed on 31st March 2021 due to various hitches and lack of skilled workforce. There is talk of them looking at another type of grant– let’s hope so!

    Landlords will not be able to issue new tenancies unless their property is rated ‘C’, just like we did with the current system when they banned F and G ratings from the rental sector in April 2018.

    The older the property, the more likely you are to be a D or E. I would highly recommend you looking at your current EPC and seeing if you have a potential rating of ‘C’ and what the recommendations are on how to achieve this.

    If they insist on landlords upgrading properties to the pump system, this could have a negative impact on the rental sector as it just wouldn’t be affordable for many landlords and the return on investment could take several years to recoup! As they say, ‘watch this space’.

     

    Have a good week!

    Sharon Canning

     

    If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding buying, selling, renting or investing in property, then please email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169.

    Blog Articles

    Possession Notices Back to Pre-COVID Length

    When COVID hit us back in March 2020, none of us had any idea of the impact this would have on our lives and how every sector would be affected – good or bad (there are always winners and losers after all).

    As it became apparent that COVID was going to be around for a while and many people furloughed, the Government deemed it necessary to bring in additional measures to stop any tenants being evicted from their homes, especially as there was nowhere to go: hotels, etc. were all closed.

    The extension of the possession notices from 2 months to 6 months caused huge ramifications to landlords who already had tenants in rent arrears.

    Some landlords have been incredibly generous to their tenants where COVID had an impact, and either came up with a payment plan or, in some cases, gifted a month’s rent.

    There will always be people who like to use the system, thankfully this is not the majority of tenants.

    The government then confirmed that, from the 1st of October, possession notices would revert to as they were in to pre-COVID times, meaning landlords can now give their tenants 2 months’ notice to vacate the property through a Section 21 notice for the time being. Section 8 notices have also reverted to pre-COVID rules.

    If you need help or advice on your tenancy management then please do not hesitate to contact us. We are not just good; we are amazingly good!

     

    Have a good month!

    Sharon Canning

     

    If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding buying, selling, renting or investing in property, then please email sharon@moveon.biz   or telephone 01202 711169.

    Blog Articles

    Selling Tenanted Properties

    Selling Tenanted Properties

    Why being a specialist in selling tenanted properties is important versus the general high street agent!

    Over the years, we have sold many tenanted properties and we are very successful in doing this. We understand the lettings industry compliance side and because of this we know and understand why it is important to get it right from day one.

    Selling tenanted properties is a win-win for all parties involved. The seller, the buyer and the tenant!

    THE SELLER

    The Seller wants to sell the property with the tenant in situ normally for a couple of reasons. They have long standing tenants and do not want to disrupt their lives or the seller may have a mortgage on the property that would be financially difficult to cover if they were to sell the property empty.

    Solution – selling the property with the tenant in situ will mean receiving rental income up to the day of completion.

    THE BUYER

    Dependent on the experience of the buyer, there can be some anxious moments. Typically, a new landlord will have the following questions:

    1.      Will I really achieve the rental amount being quoted by the agent?

    2.      How long will it take until a tenant can move in, how long will my void period be?

    3.      What kind of tenant will the property attract?

    Solution – buy a property with a tenant in situ and receive rent from day one. You will meet the tenant, you will know exactly how much rent you will achieve and you should receive a rental statement showing them paying their rent on time each month.

    THE TENANT

    The tenant will automatically be worried as soon as the property is advertised. They will worry they will have to leave their home, they will worry about being made homeless. The lack of security may persuade them to move out as soon as they find somewhere, leaving the seller with no rental income.

    Solution – Liaise with the tenant, work with the tenant, be transparent and let them know an investor is being sought.

    When all sides work together, the outcome is a win for sellers, a win for buyers and a win for the tenants.

    COMPLIANCE

    Because we have sold so many, we also know that it is absolutely vital to make sure all paperwork is in order at the beginning and our expertise can help ensure the smooth process of a completion, with hopefully no nasty surprises down the road. We will look at the tenancy paperwork and the compliance certificates along with proof certain paperwork were issued to the tenant at the correct times including the prescribed information and Deposit certificates. If the paperwork is not in order, this can cause fines later down the road or unable to gain possession of your property if the need arose (for example the tenant not paying their rent).

     

    ABOUT US

    Move On Sales and Lettings area multi-award winning agency and have been established for 15 years under the ownership of Sharon Canning. Sharon became a landlord at the age of 19 and has worked in the real estate industry for 36 years and personally owns a portfolio of properties that also include HMO’s and Service Accommodation/Holiday lets. Selling or buying to live in or rent out is Move On’s speciality.

    Blog Articles

    Thinking of Changing Estate Agents? Our Smooth-Move Guide

    Thinking of Changing Estate Agents? Our Smooth-Move Guide

     

    A great agent will be focused on selling your home at the best price, in a timeframe that suits you. If everything goes well, they’ll p

    ut the right value on it, market it effectively, then negotiate and progress your sale so you can move on to your new home as planned – and they’ll make the whole process as pain-free as possible. That’s what we strive to achieve for every one of our clients, and it’s what every seller hopes their experience will be. Read more “Thinking of Changing Estate Agents? Our Smooth-Move Guide”